Creamy Veggie Soup

A nip in the air.  A touch of autumn crispness.  An evening of open windows instead of AC.  A small first batch of pumpkins at the market.  It's not exactly full-on autumn yet but the slight chill down instantly brought my soup desires back.  I live on the stuff when the weather cools down.

For the last few days I've been thinking about a chunky, veggie soup, filled with little bites of potatoes, carrots and such.  And, of course, I wanted it to be creamy because I want almost all of my soups creamy.  That doesn't mean heavy, though.  Around here, creamy is achieved with hardly any extra fat or calories.  But I was also in the mood for a good broccoli cheese soup so, I just combined the two.  When I made it, I included a couple of stalks of celery but I've left it off the recipe because I wouldn't add it again.  I like celery cooked in a clear chicken broth and raw in a chunky chicken salad but otherwise, I find it an overly strong flavor and aroma and I definitely noticed it in the soup.  If you love it, though, by all means add it in.  Either way, this soup was hearty and satisfying and exactly what I craved.  Enjoy!

Ingredients
1 Tablespoon unsalted butter
2 Tablespoons all purpose flour
4 Cups low sodium chicken stock
1 Onion, peeled and diced
1 Clove garlic, peeled and minced
4 Potatoes, peeled and diced
1 Large or 2 small carrots, peeled and diced
1 Cup broccoli florets
1 Cup low fat milk
1 Tablespoon dill, chopped
Salt & pepper to taste (I used 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt)

In a large stock pot, melt the butter, whisk in the flour and whisk in the stock.  Add the onion, garlic, potatoes, carrots, broccoli and seasoning, bring to a boil, cover and reduce the heat.  Simmer on medium low heat for 30 - 40 minutes until the vegetables are fork tender.

With a slotted spoon, scoop out about half the vegetables and set aside.  Using a regular or stick blender, puree the remainder of the soup.  If you're using a regular blender, work in small batches so that the hot liquid doesn't ooze out of the machine.  Return the vegetables back to the soup pot, add the milk and dill and any additional needed seasoning.  Top with a little cheddar cheese, if desired.  Makes approximately 8 serving.